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Chanel

Checking In: New Chanel Fall Blushes, Being On Hold for Hours and Sensible Shoes!

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Happy Friday, friend! Miss you.

Before I get into it, first, Chanel.

Aren’t these blushes from the new fall collection so pretty? I haven’t had the heart to mess with the gorgeous leaf designs on the pans.

How’s your week been? School starts next Thursday so Connor’s with me at home, and in between juggling back-to-school things and taking her to playdates, I’ve been on the phone doing health care stuff for the fam-bam. We got new insurance, and although I’m so glad to have access to medical care, it’s been brutal trying to learn a new system.

I’ve spent most of the week on the phone calling doctors. Apparently there’s a shortage of available doctors where I live, and most are either not taking new patients or they’re booking appointments that are one year out. ONE YEAR! It’s savage.

Most of my week has been spent on hold listening to this music!

Adulting is so not fun. I would 100% not recommend it to anyone!

To get my mind off of things temporarily, yesterday, I took Connor to get boba and then we went to Nordstrom Rack to look at shoes. I bought a pair of very sensible camel-colored loafers by Cole Haan with a birthday gift card.

Honestly, they don’t make my heart break out into song or anything, but they’re comfortable, and I know I can wear them with a lot of things. And, if I had to, I could sprint across a parking lot in them to chase a child down!

It was the best thing that happened to me this week.

How are things going with you? I hope you made it to Friday in one piece.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup of the Day Featuring a New Loose Eyeshadow from Chanel Fall 2023

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Wearing (and loving!) Sycomore, a new loose eyeshadow from Chanel Fall/Winter 2023

I feel really good in this eye makeup, and the best part about it is it took very little time and effort to pull it together.

Apparetly that’s my makeup mantra now, ha!

I’m wearing a couple tried-and-true workhorses (a brown long-lasting gel liner from Hourglass and a plum shadow stick from Laura Mercier) and a new loose eyeshadow from Chanel, Ombre Premiere Libre in 402 Sycomore, a pearly warm golden beige.

It’s one of six loose eyeshadows launching this month in the Chanel Fall/Winter 2023 collection, and it’s just so lovely!

From Chanel PR:

OMBRE PREMIÈRE LIBRE Loose Eyeshadow Intense, Longwearing Colour

A longwearing shadow that delivers intense effects in a single swipe. Each of the 6 shades recalls the raw tones of nature, illuminated by sunlight. The creamy ultra-fine powder texture makes it easy to apply — just dab or press onto lids with the flexible sponge applicator. $40.00

If “swipe-and-go” is your style, I think you’ll like it.

Chanel Sycomore on my lids, Laura Mercier Rose Thorn on the outer corner and smudged on my upper lash line, and Hourglass Cave eyeliner on my waterlines

It comes in a small tube with a stubby sponge applicator which deposits the perfect amount of loose shadow. I pat and swipe the sponge onto my lids exactly where I want the color; it’s very easy to precisely go where you need to, which I love. Then, I use a tapered blending brush and my fingers to diffuse the edges.

It’s similar to a MAC Loose Pigment in that you get a lot of color intensity with a small amount of product, so you don’t have to sit there and build a bunch of layers.

However, I think what kicks the Chanel version up a notch is that the powder isn’t as messy as a MAC Pigment; the Chanel version is loose enough to easily blend, but it’s not so loose that it lands on your cheekbones, your white shirt, your cat’s fur and everything else in sight.

Cheeks are Laura Mercier Chai powder blush mixed with MAC Strobelite cream (I mixed the powder into the lotion on teh back of my hands and applied with fingers); lips are Ilia Color Haze PIgment in Temptation with a little bit of Biossance lip balm on top

I wore Sycomore yesterday without any eye primer and it stayed on all day. If you’re looking for feel-good eye makeup that’s long-lasting, polished and elegant, I think Sycomore is it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Happy Friday, and a New Chanel Lippie

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Happy Friday, my friend! My sidekick is home with me (no dance camp today), but I wanted to pop in for a quick hello. 🙂

I told myself a while back that I was gonna quit with the nude lipsticks already, but I can’t seem to give ’em up. This lightweight peachy beige is from Chanel’s summer collection! It’s 174 Destination from the Rouge Coco Baum Flash line.

Hope you’re having a wonderful day so far!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer Beauty Buddies: Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint and Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream

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Today’s beauty buddies are Chanel!

For me, it truly feels like summer when Chanel is in the mix. 🙂

I’ve been wearing two of their face products from the new summer collection non-stop: Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint sheer foundation in Medium Plus and Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream in Soleil Tan Medium Bronze.

I’m at a point in my makeup journey where I can’t deal with anything that feels or looks too heavy, especially in the summer. I want the sheerest coverage possible and my skin to look like real skin. Both these products achieve that very specific look!

Sheer and fresh

I wear the Water-Fresh Tint as an all over base (I use two pumps); most of the time I don’t set it with a powder, and I just leave it as is. It’s sheer and semi-matte, and I think it looks very fresh and undone.

I’m wearing Water-Fresh Tint in Medium Plus and Healthy Glo Bronizng Cream in Soleil Tan Medium Bronze
Bare faced and cheerful!

Long-wearing, too!

Then, I swipe Les Beiges cream bronzer on my cheeks and on my lids for some color and warmth. It blends effortlessly and doesn’t look obvious. FYI, I was pleasantly surprised with how long-lasting it is. Once it sets it doesn’t move!

Some swatches!

You can find both items in several different shades at Chanel counters and online.

About that shirt

OK, so for my birthday this year, I treated myself to a cute new t-shirt from a brand that I’m kinda obsessed with called Clare V! They have lots of cute bags too.

I hope this beautiful Thursday has been treating you kindly! Big hugs from this end of the keyboard.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Favorite Chanel Dark Nail Polishes for a Short, Chic Mani

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Chanel Oiseau de nuit, le diable en chanel rouge noir
Chanel Nail Polishes from the left: 141 Oiseau De Nuit, 155 Rouge Noir and 161 Le Diable En Chanel

I wasn’t kidding about short, dark nails doing *the most* for me for summer polish. These three Chanel shades, which are from the newly revamped nail polish line, make me swoon!

141 Oiseau De Nuit

My favorite is the shade I’ve been wearing on my fingers for almost a month now, 141 Oiseau de Nuit, a rich, blackened deep purple with a shiny finish. I think it’s moody and chic with just a touch of edginess, and when it’s worn with minimal summer makeup and a casual bun or ponytail, the whole look is VERY cool.

Chanel 141 Oiseau De Nuit
Chanel 141 Oiseau De Nuit

I really like the wide brush, which is flat and spreads easily across my nails. I can easily paint the polish from base to tip in a few quick strokes.

I think the formula is better than the previous iteration of Chanel nail polish, too. It does a better job of leveling out, so there’s no patchiness, and you can get a full block of solid color in two coats. It seems to withstand chips better overall as well.

I’ve been testing Osieu de Nuit out with various top coats (Essie, OPI, etc.), and the one that was best at preventing chips and holding the color onto my nails was the new Chanel Le Gel Longwear Top Coat.

If you’re going to splurge on any of the Chanel polishes, I’d highly recommend getting the Le Gel Top Coat to go along with it!

155 Rouge Noir

Another moody shade I’ve been loving is 155 Rouge Noir, a deep, dark red which I’ve been wearing on my toes.

Chanel 155 Rouge Noir
Chanel 155 Rouge Noir

This one feels like a shade that could easily go into fall; maybe it’s because I can really see it with a dark ’90s style matte lip and a matte base? Even so, I’ll still wear it in the summer. 🙂

161 Le Diable En Chanel

Last but not least is 161 Le Diable En Chanel, a dark glossy black.

Chanel 161 Le Diable En Chanel
Chanel 161 Le Diable En Chanel

I feel like Robert Smith from The Cure would wear this when he needs to feel pampered, LOL!

Let me know if any of these catch your eye.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Small Things That Bring Me Joy (Makeup and Otherwise)

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Chanel Summer 2023

1.The travel-size Chanel summer collection

I’m excited about this launch! I feel like this is the collection Chanel fans (especially the ones like me, who adore the summer launches) always wanted but didn’t know they needed. It’s chic and portable, with just enough coverage and color for beautiful summer skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

It launches in June, and includes cute travel versions of the Bronzing Cream (Tan, Tan Medium and Tan Deep Bronze), Water-Fresh Tint (in 8 shades from Light to Deep Plus) and Illuminating Oil.

There’s also two Rouge Coco Flash lipsticks (pink beige Destination and sienna red Escapade), two metallic liquid shadows (ivory beige Rayon and peachy pink Quartz Rose) and two Rouge Coco Baume sheer lip balms ( Pink Delight and brownish mauve Sweet Treat). These appear to all be in the regular size, not minis, by the way.

YES!!!

I’m especially excited about the cream bronzer because it was a go-to staple for me back in the day! A smaller version sounds purr-fect.

2. When exercise feels fun

I stumbled upon this fun walking workout with ’80s music this morning!

I was feeling tired and not in the mood at all to do burpees or mountain climbers, and it was exactly what I needed to get my body moving.

I have this idea in my head from years of running and doing HIIT that exercise always means one has be a little miserable in order to get the endorphins at the end, but I know now that that’s simply not true. Not all exercise needs to feel like punishment, LOL! Sometimes it’s just fun to get moving.

So, lately, I’ve been trying to incorporate more joyful movement (aka exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise) throughout my day.

One thing I love – short 8-minute walks. Why 8 minutes? Well, 10 minutes sometimes feel like too much of a commitment, and 5 minutes doesn’t feel like it’s enough. For some reason 8 is a good number for me, and if I do it three times before noon, that’s 24 extra minutes of movement.

3. These tiny lil’ lemon bars from Trader Joe’s

I bought a box of these years ago and for whatever reason wasn’t into them, but I recently picked one up on a whim, and it certainly hit the spot.

I totally just ate this. BTW, the nail polish is Chanel 141 Oiseu De Nuit!

Maybe they tweaked the recipe? Who knows. Whatever they did, they’re now perfection.

The custard is tangy, not overly sweet, with a chewy (but not too chewy) texture. The shortbread on the bottom is also present but doesn’t take over. If you’re in the mood for a lemon bar but don’t want to make them, these hit the spot. You can find them in the frozen section by the ice cream. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Chanel Kind of Friday

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If you’re going to do your hair and put on makeup and perfume to sit and work at your desk for hours upon hours upon hours on a Friday, then the makeup and perfume might as well be Chanel. 🙂

I’ve got loads of writing to do, but I just wanted to pop in and wish you a very happy and joyful Friday!

Chanel all up in this mix…

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